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Whistleblower gets asylum in Russia

Barbara MillerUpdated
Fri Aug 02 08:54:00 EST 2013

The former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden has left Moscow airport after spending five weeks in legal limbo there. Russia has granted the whistle-blower temporary asylum, a move the White House describes as extremely disappointing.

Transcript

TONY EASTLEY: After five weeks in limbo the fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden has left Moscow airport.

The former intelligence contractor has headed to an undisclosed location in Russia.

The White House says the development is extremely disappointing and it does have implications for Russian-US relations.

Europe correspondent Barbara Miller reports.

BARBARA MILLER: Edward Snowden's time in transit is over but he's still in hiding. His lawyer won't say where the whistleblower is headed.

ANATOLY KUCHERENA (translated): As concerns his place of residence, he'll choose it himself. He can live in a hotel or an apartment. As he is one of the most wanted people on Earth, he'll be making sure his place of residence is absolutely safe.

BARBARA MILLER: A grainy photo has emerged of what's believed to be Edward Snowden about to get into a taxi at the airport in Moscow. A woman standing next to him is thought to be Sarah Harrison, a legal advisor for the whistle blowing organization WikiLeaks.

WikiLeaks has released a statement saying Ms Harrison and Mr Snowden are headed to a secure, confidential place. The statement quotes Edward Snowden thanking Russia for granting him asylum; evidence, he says, that the law is winning.

That's not how the White House sees it. Spokesman Jay Carney:

JAY CARNEY: We are extremely disappointed that the Russian government would take this step despite our very clear and lawful request in public and in private to have Mr Snowden expelled to the United States to face the charges against him.

Mr Snowden is not a whistle-blower. He is accused of leaking classified information and has been charged with three felony counts and he should be returned to the United States.

BARBARA MILLER: Edward Snowden has been granted leave to remain in Russia for one year.

The whistle-blower has said he is ultimately keen to reach one of the Latin American countries that have offered him asylum.

Michael Caplan QC specialises in international law.

MICHAEL CAPLAN: These countries which have suggested that would consider him for asylum do have extradition arrangements with the US. They do have treaties. Most of them have, obviously would carve out that if it's for political reasons then they won't extradite. But there would have to be some kind of extradition hearing so he doesn't get completely out of the position there.

It is very interesting. It's only Russia and China of all the countries which are involved in the world that don't have the extradition arrangements with the US.

BARBARA MILLER: The Russian president Vladimir Putin previously stipulated that Edward Snowden could only stay in Russia if he stopped harming the US, a condition Moscow no longer appears to be enforcing.

The start of Edward Snowden's asylum coincided with the publication in the Guardian newspaper of more revelations of US surveillance systems attributed to information provided by him.

And the US president Barack Obama is considering pulling out of a summit with president Putin.In White House speak, it is "evaluating the utility" of the planned meeting.